


Meetings in Stark Tower

by Left4Shade-Due (ShadeDuelist)



Category: Left 4 Dead 2, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Bromance, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-12
Updated: 2012-08-12
Packaged: 2017-11-12 00:00:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/484353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeDuelist/pseuds/Left4Shade-Due
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick goes over to Stark Tower to propose a business idea, but when Virginia Potts turns out to be on a sick day and Tony Stark himself wants to hear him out, things turn out surprisingly different.  Meanwhile, having gone to surprise his lover with lunch, Ellis wanders into Stark Tower as well and gets lost - and found by something any sane man would fear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meetings in Stark Tower

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ellislash](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Ellislash).



> First of all, all my thanks need to go to Ellislash over at deviantArt for giving me this idea! Her fic (which is forthcoming) is of course way better than mine in every way. Don't deny it.
> 
> Then, a word of thanks for my lovely darlin' pervy Ellis waifuu, horsecanada9: she's had to put up with me feeding her bits of this fic for the last two days. Needless to say her fangirling all over them made my day!
> 
> Finally, a word of thanks to alexkingofthedamned for jumping into this project as well! So many incredible people involved, this must be the height of epic already...

“I swear to God this is the fifth time this month this happened!  I’m sick and goddamn tired of people planning appointments and not passing on the information… I honestly am.”  Nick was really kicking up a lot of dust at the reception desk of Stark Industries, and with reason.  In front of him, the rightfully terrified receptionist swallowed the lump in her throat and asked again.

“W-who did you say y-you had an appointment with, sir?”

“Virginia goddamn Potts, that’s who!   This appointment was planned six months ago, there’s no way in hell I’m not going in there. “  The terrified woman looked at her screen and blinked, clearly surprised.

“M-mrs. Potts i-isn’t in, mister, uh…?”  The tone at the end clearly showed she hoped for him to remind her of his last name, but he didn’t mention it again.  ‘Stupid desk job people, too damn dumb to remember one damn name…’, he mused.  “M-maybe you can r-re-reschedule?”, she said in the end, and Nick snorted.

“Look, miss, I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer – whenever she’s out or sick or whatever the hell’s up, _someone_ in this goddamn company must have the authority to take over mrs. Potts’ work -“

“Well, yes, that’d be me.”, came a voice from the hallway, and Nick looked up, irritation still showing on his face when he noticed who it actually was that spoke and his annoyance became genuine surprise.

_Tony fuckin’ Stark in person._

There was no mistaking the man, the arc reactor he carried in his chest made sure of that – as well as the fact that no sane man working for Stark Industries would come to work in a long-sleeved T-shirt and comfortable jeans, not even the handyman or the janitor.  And _holy shit, was he ever a sight._ The pictures of him in formal attire, attending some fundraiser or convention or whatnot, didn’t do him justice as much as the comfy clothes were doing him right then.  He looked relaxed, self-assured and ready to take on the world.

Ready to take _him_ on.

Nick did a double-take, for the first time since he’d walked into the building at a loss for words.  A silence that Tony Stark filled in immediately.

“Miss Mills, if the man says he has an appointment with Pepper, don’t let him wait!  You know she’s back at home with a hot-water bottle and her hands wrapped around a bowl of chicken soup – or… oh wait, you can’t know that.  No, she’s taken a sick day or two in order to not make all of us do the same in a week, and I’m more than happy to take over her appointments, including the one with mister, uh…?”  Again the hopefully rising tone, but this time Nick didn’t hesitate to give his last name.

“Montaggio.  …But you can call me Nick, mister Stark.”, he added with a grin as he extended his hand, and to his utter surprise Tony grinned back, rolling his eyes.

“Nick, call me Tony, the last guy to call me ‘mister Stark’ is now missing an eye.”  He then motioned for the elevator.  “Miss Mills, please make sure no one disturbs me for the rest of the afternoon – I’m sure Nick and I have an awful lot to discuss.”  If Nick didn’t know any better, he’d think he was being flirted with.  Not that it mattered – he’d come by in the honest hopes to maybe get his ideas communicated to Tony Stark, but never in a million years had he ever dreamed that he’d be communicating them directly to the man in question.  He felt elated, his heart racing a mile a minute out of sheer excitement, an old habit from his days as a con man and gambler.  He lived for thrills like this one – thrills that he hadn’t had too often anymore since he’d met his partner.  Ellis had begged him, pleaded with him, to not gamble anymore and to get an honest job, and he had complied.  But sometimes he longed for the excitement of the days of old again, and now he had a very close approximation of that feeling.  Tony Stark standing right there really made his mind do loop-de-loops in pure disbelieving joy.

“I can’t believe how well mrs. Potts’ being ill made things turn out for me.”, he said to Tony as the elevator doors closed, and the man just winked at him before opening a small black box next to the elevator door and punching in a combination, speaking up to answer only when the elevator doors were closed.

“Neither can I, Nick, neither can I.  …Oh, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve kind of moved your meeting a bit.  Pushed it up a bit, shall we say?”  When Nick blinked and looked at him, not completely understanding – the man was said to be a bit eccentric, often described as a ‘genius billionaire playboy philanthropist’ – his grin broadened just a tiny bit and his eyes showed genuine mirth.  “…I took the liberty of moving us up to my, uh, personal suite.  Because I do so like to make things personal.”  Now Nick honestly wondered if the man opposite him, carefully leaning against the elevator wall and eyeing him with obvious interest, was flirting with him.

“I usually don’t like things too personal, but this is an offer I can’t refuse.”, he stated, keeping his voice deliberately level and his suggestion deliberately ambiguous, to see which nuance the man would go with, and to his surprise the richest man in the world licked his lips softly and shifted against the elevator wall, casually moving.  The arc reactor gave a soft light that reflected in the man’s eyes and suddenly Nick found himself hoping.

“…Now I’m wondering what other offers I can make you that you can’t refuse… Nick…”, he said, adding his name almost as an afterthought, and Nick slowly but surely started to grin.

“I think we can come to some sort of agreement.  Maybe over a glass of wine?”  Tony goddamn Stark was flirting with him.  Not only that, but they were going up to the man’s personal suite.  His ideas suddenly seemed irrelevant in light of the definite promises the afternoon held.  Even more so when the billionaire genius nodded.

“Just what I was thinking, Nick… heh, why not make ourselves comfortable?  It’s not like we have to hurry for anything, right?  We can take our time in, uh… discussing things…”  Nick nodded.  For a second, he thought about Ellis – about how his lover would feel if he’d know that he was going with another man.  Even if they had an open relationship – Ellis refusing to fully give up Keith and Nick needing the freedom in order to commit to his feelings for Ellis a hundred percent – it would probably feel like shit for the mechanic.  ‘…Then again, it’s not like he’ll believe me if I say ‘oh yeah, I fucked Tony goddamn Stark when I was there’…’, Nick mused, and his soft grin broadened and grew almost predatory.

“…I’ve got time, Tony… yeah, let’s make ourselves comfortable…”  He took just one step closer to the other man, but that was enough – the attraction between them had the distance waning, floor by floor, inch by inch, and by the time the elevator arrived at the top floor, opening to a magnificent-looking penthouse suite, the two men were too busy kissing deeply and heatedly to even pay attention to their surroundings.

***

“…Awh man…”, Ellis said, sitting on a bench right next to Stark Tower, holding a little paper bag which contained Nick’s favourite sandwiches.  He’d known that today, he’d need to surprise his lover with a bit of affection – Nick had been in a foul mood that morning, nervous about his meeting in Stark Tower, and Ellis couldn’t blame him.  He didn’t always understand the particulars of his lover’s job, but this he did get: it was extremely lucky of him to get that meeting with Tony Stark’s personal assistant set up, so lucky that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  He’d seen pictures of the woman too: she looked nice enough – kind of like Annie Malloy from the old days had, his best friend in high school and the only girl to ever get him tongue-tied – but she probably was really authorative even if she didn’t look the part.  And she’d have to be, as the only woman ever to have risen to such a high position in such a big company.

Ellis kind of hoped that he’d get to meet the woman, even if he knew enough about Nick’s world of businessmen and corporate etiquette to realize that that was a vain thought.

A stream of people exited the building and Ellis sighed.  He really, really, _really_ needed to go inside and use the little boys’ room – he hadn’t gone ever since he got the idea to go surprise his lover with his favourite sandwiches with extra parmesan cheese at the place where he needed to be.  But he had no clue how long Nick would be in there.  He didn’t even know the precise time the meeting started, come to think of it.  And now his bladder was aching and the sun was really shining down on him and he felt so out of place in between the sea of men in two-piece suits and women in business attire where he was only wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt of his favourite band and a pair of comfy jeans and people were staring at his baseball cap and… he wished the man of his live would hurry up and get out of there.

He got up, taking the paper bag with him.  He figured he’d have enough time to go inside and at least take a leak.  And maybe find a vending machine so he could have a drink.  Besides, he wanted to see what the inside of the tower looked like.

“Whoa-lee sheeyit…”, he said once he entered through the revolving door.  The building was HUGE, with at least four elevators in a central glass shaft that shone softly in the light falling through the windows.  “…’s so… open… an’… well, jus’ _dayum_ …”, he said, so focused on locating a toilet that he was oblivious to the fact that the building was empty.   He wandered past the abandoned reception desk, into an elevator that stood at the ground floor – as all of them did – and pushed a button without really looking, bemused as he was by the sheer magnitude and the overwhelming openness of the building.

Ellis only noticed that something was wrong when things turned dark around him as the elevator dove underground.

“Awh shit naw…”, he muttered, pressing the buttons to stop the elevator or to get it to stop at a closer floor so he could ride another elevator up but nothing functioned as it should, and he cursed again, louder this time and with more passion behind the swear.  “Aw fuck!”  He was stuck to go to floor -10, apparently – how did he let himself get distracted enough to press THAT button, he mused – and could only wait patiently until it got there, the glass elevator shaft illuminated softly from above.

The doors opened with a soft ‘ding’, and Ellis stepped out into a jungle of concrete walls and dark metal pipes.  He felt a bit ashamed – and anxious that he’d suddenly be faced with a security guard.  The area was well-lit, though, and he spotted one red pipe among the mass of dark ones running along the wall to the elevator.  And, as luck would have it, water gurgled in the distance, like a toilet being flushed.

Maybe he didn’t have to have all bad luck all day long.

He followed the red pipe, coming closer to the sound of rushing water, turning a corner and… there was nothing there.  Yes, there was a door at the end of the hallway he was in, but there were no pipes going there, none at all.  How could there be a toilet there if there were no pipes leading up to it?  …Unless they lay under the floor?  It was a possibility… the thought reminded him of that one time when Keith and he had found a wire in the ground and had followed it – that adventure had ended in cutting the power of an entire city block in downtown Savannah for a month and some very choice words of their parents.

“Awrigh’, here goes nothin’…”, Ellis said, stepping into the corridor, quickly going toward the door and opening it.  It was quiet in there, and the sound of rushing water was slightly louder – the toilets had to be close, he mused with a grin, closing the door behind him.

Almost instantly, the lights went out and the room he’d entered went pitch dark.  Ellis gave a startled yelp, which was answered with a dull ‘thud’ from further ahead.  His instincts roared to life and the mechanic pressed himself backwards, hands fumbling around blindly for the door handle only to find none.  He was trapped in there, in the dark.  Another ‘thud’ sounded, slightly louder than the previous one, and Ellis’ heart gave a jolt.  There was someone in there?  It could be a janitor, or a maintenance worker… or a security guard… or something else…

“Uh, ‘ello?  ‘s Anyone in ‘ere?!”, he called out despite himself – even if it was a zombie standing there in front of him, ready to tear his guts out, anything seemed better than to starve down there.  He could hear slow footsteps approach him, staggering, heavy breathing – maybe it was someone that had been running?

The lights went back on and Ellis could only stare in shocked surprise at the enormous… well, the green and gigantic form in front of him, clad in torn clothes that probably were really nice-looking before they met him, muscled and hunched over and looking at him with eyes that shone with rage.  It took another step, its arm swinging along and hitting the wall in a louder ‘thud’, and it gave a low, annoyed growl.  Ellis, all the while, stood rooted to the spot, not daring to breathe, let alone move.  The green thing approached him slowly, its eyes still filled with frustrated rage and its arm scraping along some lightswitches that stood on the wall, darkening the hallway partially.

“…e-eh… h-hey there?”, Ellis started out softly – the green form turned to him and he winced, nearly going silent again, but when all that happened was that he got a gust of warm wind right into his face as it exhaled pointedly, sounding too much like Nick’s impatient huffs… he spoke up again, a bit louder this time.

“D-d’yeh happen tuh know where there’s a res’room?”  He didn’t get a response other than a loud growl.  But there was a change in the thing’s eyes.  Something fell away in there.  It told him to press on, and now he actually managed a slight smile, making him look like an overgrown kid that’s asking its teacher to go potty.  “…’s jus’… ah k-kinda gotta go an’… an’ ah got lost down ‘ere an’…”  Another growl was the only reaction he got, but now those green, shining eyes softened, and the expression of rage on that big, green, somewhat squashed face softened.  The entire thing’s body relaxed, slowly but surely, as Ellis took a step closer and smiled his usual meek smile.  “…M-maybe yeh can’’ talk t’me but could’yeh show me?”  The green form nodded and motioned for the mechanic to follow him, which he did.

***

A lot of people had passed between the sheets of Tony Stark – some good, some bad, but this guy… Nick Montaggio… he had to be at the top of that very long list.  If not on number one.  Tony couldn’t believe his luck once again as he gripped his partner’s hips and pushed into him deeply, grunting as he did.  The way the man’s body clung to him, every inch of his insides dragging over his length so deliciously, it was heaven and he needed more of it.

“Jesus fuckin’…h-aaaaahhh…  Harder, Tony…”, Nick panted out, and it would be only courteous for Tony to oblige – he pulled out and thrust in again, putting strength into the movement, and was rewarded with his partner’s back arching.  “ _Ahhhh fuuuuuuck_ …”

“I was planning on that…”, he ground out, going at the man hard and deep, just like he liked it and just like the man wanted it, clearly.  He was in deep as ever before, panting even if it seemed like only a second ago that he’d plunged in – maybe it was due to the fact that he’d gotten the man, that seemed so assertive and self-assured at first glance, to take it and actually beg for it, or maybe it was because this was the first time since he’d gotten together with Bruce that he had an actually dominant partner that’d probably stick it to him good in return.  He and Bruce had a lot going, but wild, rough sex wasn’t among that.  Bruce was always so afraid of Him, the Other Guy, emerging – ‘and with reason’, spoke a rational part of his mind that seemed detached in the moment –that he didn’t dare completely give himself.

Nick didn’t have that problem, and when Tony thrust in again, sinking in to the hilt, the man showed that plain as day, gripping the sheets and cursing loudly.

“God-fucking-damn Tony, don’t hold back…ohhh shiiiiiiiit, make it count, damn it!”  Holding back was the last thing on Tony Stark’s mind as he plunged in, over and over, thrusting into the willing man underneath him hard and deep and picking up speed too.  His heart pounded, the arc reactor in his chest pulsing in time with the rhythm he had going, flickering like a strobe light as the tension mounted.  He could feel it burning, twisting, coiling inside of him like an animal ready to lash out, and when Nick pushed back against him on one of his thrusts, pressing into him and taking him a bit deeper, it snapped and had him hunching over his partner with a loud growl of his name, pounding into him as his orgasm took over.

“Niiiick, god, _shit_ oh _shit oh shiiiiiiit oh oh yeeeeeaaaaah_ …”  He was blissfully oblivious as his body moved on autopilot, his hips twitching rather than thrusting and his back arching so he pressed into the man underneath him completely, riding out his climax slowly, enjoying every last second of it.  Only when feeling started to return to his legs and arms did he move and speak up.  “…Hell, you sure give as good as you’ve got…”  The man just rolled his eyes and rolled over to lay on his back, which was when Tony discovered that Nick, despite their energetic session just now, still hadn’t had his jollies.

Well, there was no way that’d do.

He licked his lips and looked at the businessman, musing briefly on how lucky he was again.  That white suit of his had come off so quickly, and what he had to show below it got his heart racing – even now, looking the man over as his own mind was still pleasantly buzzing with the energy of his release, his breath hitched just by the sight that met him.  Light skin, riddled with scars, a tattoo on his right upper arm saying ‘Bros’ over a crossed fireaxe and ninja sword, a dense patch of chest hair that trailed down to his stomach, creating a little happy trail down to a real favor of nature, which was now still very much erect and craving attention.  But how to go about it?  Tony didn’t feel in the mood to submit to the same rough ride he’d given the man, but Nick had eagerly let him just fuck the living daylights out of him.  He had the man pegged down as a dominant, willful, somewhat self-centered man in bed – very much like he was, too – and for a guy like that to take the bottom role for once and even then manage to still be willful and demanding… god, that deserved some kind of repayment.  If the man wanted to stick it to him just as hard as he had in return, he might just have to deal with it until it became pleasurable for him too.

“Your turn, Nick – you’ve still got a lot to share with me, I can tell.”, Tony said with an amiable grin as he let his hand travel up the other man’s thigh, palming that heated flesh and stroking it just once to show exactly what he meant.  Nick’s reaction was instant and so hot, grinding up into the touch with a shuddering breath.

“Jeeeeeesus, Tony…   You bet I’ve got – ohhh – a lot to share…”

“Well, then, how do you propose to share it with me?”, he asked, grinning his most cheeky, devious, alluring grin – a grin that had had many men and women melting into him before, and something he was sure wouldn’t fail him now.  Nick’s answering grin showed him that he was, once again, right.

God, Tony loved being right.

“Sit up…”, Nick said, and Tony complied, moving so he sat on his hands and knees, fully expecting the other man to move behind him and start preparing him, but for once his initial idea was dead wrong.

Nick moved to stand in front of him, and Tony looked up at the man to see him grin almost fiendishly down at him, green eyes flaring with lust now.

“…Well, what are you waiting for, an invitation?”, he said, impatience and smug satisfaction mingling.  One hand placed itself on the back of Tony’s head and pushed him forward, causing the billionaire to get a grin back on his features.  Not that he was one to boast, but he was _good_ with his mouth.  Not only could he talk himself out of anything, not only could he use rhetoric to maximum effect – which was kind of essential when you built an empire around a technology so new half of the world hadn’t even dreamt of it yet – but he could use that silver tongue of his to make any man or woman melt.  It was no wonder Nick wanted that.  He shook his head, wordlessly, letting said silver tongue dart out and gently run along the other man’s member, moving agonizingly slowly from the base to the very tip, around which he then lazily circled before licking down again.  He was going to give Nick the experience of a lifetime.  The man already held back a shivering breathy moan, his fingers still weaved into Tony’s hair.

“Mmm, Nick…”, Tony said softly once he’d licked his way back up to the tip of his partner’s member, his lips pressing against the head as he spoke.  The man’s only answer was a throaty, needy moan, which told Tony that he was about ready for him to stop teasing and start bringing him pleasure.  He parted his lips, allowing Nick’s length to slowly but surely sink into his mouth.  About halfway, he started to slowly move his head back up only to take him in again, more quickly and deeper that time.  His head started to move up and down that length, slowly picking up speed, and it didn’t take long for Nick to start grinding himself into his mouth eagerly, which in turn served to excite Tony even more.  He was a sucker for oral, both giving it and getting it – and apparently Nick and he were more alike than he’d even guessed.  It was no wonder that it didn’t take long for him to bring his head down to about an inch from the base each time, wanting to keep that final bit for bringing the man to his own release.

However, Nick didn’t seem to share his opinion.

Tony’s eyes flew open when the other man laced his other hand into his hair, effectively gripping his head, and pulling him down into a tentative thrust, effectively stuffing his member down Tony’s throat and triggering his gag reflex.  The businessman had to give a quick swallow to control himself, and he looked up at Nick to see the other man panting, looking down at him longingly.  It hadn’t occurred to him that maybe giving Nick the reins would result in getting his face fucked – but it was too late to get the other man to stop, he knew.

“ _Oh fucking hell, Tonyyyy…_ ”, Nick ground out, pulling the billionaire’s head off his length almost completely before pushing it back.  “…Don’t want to… fuckin’ hold back – ahhh hell yeah!”

“Mmmm…”  Tony had meant to moan the other man’s name to show that he didn’t want him to hold back but that he maybe, just maybe, should start slowly, but it had an adverse effect.  Nick’s next movements became all the more aggressive, pulling him down into a more fleshed out thrust, nearly impaling that stiff length of his into Tony’s throat and nearly triggering the man’s gag reflex again.  Luckily Tony had anticipated it and he let his jaw go slack, let his throat relax, and swallowed at the exact right time to make sure that Nick’s assault on his mouth would at least not make him sore.

Nick’s second thrust had him feeling elated and somehow aroused again.  Nick’s third thrust caused a light whimper to rise from his throat.  By the time Nick gave a fourth thrust, his hands wandered up to his partner’s hips to steady himself, and a hum met the movement of that unyielding length into his throat.  It was hot and Tony had to give it to the other man for surprising him so pleasantly.

“Mmmmh mmmmh…”, he voiced, and Nick picked up speed, his thrusts becoming harder and faster until Tony had little time left between them to keep himself in check.  Not that the other man seemed to be bothered by that.  Tony could soon feel the man shiver and grow tense, his every breath now accompanied by a loud growl or moan.  He was getting close, and Tony was just contemplating what he could do to send him over the edge when Nick seemed to make that happen himself.

“ _Jesus-fucking-god-Tony-oh-shit-To-ny-to-ny-take-it-take-it-shi-i-i-i-it…!_ ”, he stammered, shivering and bucking into Tony’s mouth as he came, his thrusts not stopping or even slowing until he was completely spent.  And Tony loved every second of it, loved the feeling of that sticky fluid shooting right down his throat, loved the way the man’s climactic shudders ran down his length and seemingly into him, causing heat to flare up throughout him.  Finally, with a sigh, Nick took a step backwards, letting go of Tony before falling back down onto the bed, breathing hard.  “Well holy fuck…”, he breathed out, closing his eyes and apparently gathering his thoughts again, which caused Tony to chuckle.

“I wouldn’t say ‘ _holy_ fuck’ but yeah, I can see where you’re coming from.”  Nick turned to him, rolling his eyes and then giving him a lazy kind of look.

“If you can, you really should keep your eyes closed while blowing a guy.”  Tony’s heart leapt up at the almost effortless verbal jab, and he turned to the other man, his mind reeling.  Nick’s harsh thrusts into his mouth had made sure his body felt happily buzzing with dopamine and heating up with testosterone, his heart racing with adrenaline.  Next to him, Nick displayed signs of the same post-sex bliss, breathing slowing but heart still racing, and his eyes fixed on him, their gaze burning like lasers.

“You were making it hard.”, he replied, grinning from ear to ear, and Nick nodded.

“Let’s see if that’s the only thing, huh?  Because if I’m not mistaken, those moans you were silencing on my dick sounded like you were really getting into it.”  Snaking a hand underneath Tony’s sprawled-out form, he felt around for the other man’s member, grinning when he found it hardened and demanding attention, like he’d apparently thought.  “…Hehehe, why hey there.”

“Would you just start already?”, Tony said, the other man’s sudden teasing impatience really riling him, and Nick nodded, motioning for him to flip over.

That predatory look on his face was so alluring, Tony thought as the other man pressed him into the mattress as he sat up over his groin.

***

“…I really, really need to stop this from happening at the drop of a hat…”, Bruce muttered, clutching his torn pants with one hand and running the other through his hair.  It was bad enough that the Other Guy was _there_ , but to constantly and at the most inconvenient of times be confronted with him?

He was lucky Tony had had that alarm installed in his lab just for the purpose of evacuating the building when he felt the change coming on.  There was no telling what would happen if the Other Guy’s frenzied mind caused him to lash out at anyone, or at the structure.  People could die because of him.  He could tear the building down and ruin Tony’s business.

The weight of the knowledge that he could screw up at any given time was at times heavier than the weight of the knowledge that he already had.

The sound of rushing water turned louder behind him, and the door opened to reveal that man he’d come across earlier – he looked genuinely ashamed now, caught almost literally with his pants down.  Already, Bruce took a step back, ready to bolt into the hallway, but the other man spoke up, his voice surprised and lightly amused.

“’Ey, now, ah knew yeh weren’t tha’ big all tha time!”  His eyes… Bruce could only remember bits and pieces of what happened when he’d turned into the Other Guy, but he still remembered how innocent and caring those eyes had looked at him, seeing beyond the exterior and into his heart, seeing even beyond the rage and frustration and identifying confusion, pain and shame and comforting it.  Comforting him.  Next thing he knew, he felt a hand on his bare shoulder and he looked up to see the other  man holding out his undershirt.  “…Hey, take this, y’can’’ go walkin’ ‘round in this buildin’ with nothin’ but torn pants…”

“Oh, uh, thanks…”, he said, flabbergasted.  The gesture so stunned him that he accepted the shirt before he could even think of declining, and the warmth it still held felt… relaxing. Bruce looked at the other man again, slightly anxious.  This guy was a stranger, he’d probably been scared half witless by him before – the Other Guy was intimidating even if he did nothing – and now he was giving him his own undershirt?  “Y-you really don’t have to… I’ve got a change of clothes in my lab-“

“Wow, man, yeh’re a scientist?!  Aw maaaaan!  Ah luv science!  What’s yer field?”  He then blinked and blushed slightly, scratching the back of his head.  “…Uhm, ah’m bein’ mighty rude over here, ain’t ah?  Name’s Ellis, Ellis Pauley… pleased t’meet’chu!”  He offered his hand for Bruce to shake, smiling so disarmingly that the scientist didn’t even blink as he took the proffered hand and let a small smile of his own shine through.

“Bruce Banner.”  It felt like he was giving much more than he actually was, and yet that didn’t scare him.  The man opposite him smiled as they shook hands, speaking up immediately after they let go.

“Aw, man, misteh Banner, y’all prob’ly got all kinds’a cool ‘speriments goin’!  But… ah always thought th’real science went on, y’know… up there…”  The words were carefully hesitant, and yet not accusing, the tone apprehensive but hopeful, and Ellis’ entire body language spoke of curiosity and acceptance.  Childish, in a way, but sincere.  Bruce let a soft sigh slip, shaking his head and bringing a hand up to support himself off the wall.

“…You… you saw what I became.  If I have that happening up there…”

“Hey, naw, y’ain’t s’me kinda monster, man!  Tha’ jus’ ain’t right sayin’ that ‘bout yerself!”  Ellis’ reaction was fierce, startling Bruce and making something stir inside of him.  The Other Guy – again, and so soon?  However, the southerner’s following words were softer, though no less fierce.  “Listen, misteh Banner, y’all looked at me an’ ah saw tha’ rage, tha’ frustration, tha’… that pain in yer eyes.  It hurts not bein’ able t’trust yerself.  Ah know it does.  But there ain’t no reason fer tha’.  Y’all think yeh ain’t in control, but y’are.  ‘Cause no matter wha’ tha’ other guy does or says or thinks, y’all are still there!”

“…B-but-“, Bruce started, thinking of hundreds and thousands of reasons why he couldn’t put faith in those words no matter how good they sounded, only to be cut off by Ellis again.

“Look, misteh Banner, ah was there.  Y’all could’a prob’ly killed me ‘bout ten times an y’di’n’t.  Yeh could’a brought th’entire buildin’ down on top’a me an’ yerself, but yeh didn’t. ‘s Okay t’be careful, but it ain’t damn right t’be ‘fraid all the time…  There ain’t no need t’be ‘fraid, okay?”  Bruce looked at the man in front of him, at those blue eyes showing such trust, such confidence, and he sighed.

“…I’ve got reason to be afraid.”, he said weakly after a few seconds, and Ellis snorted.

“’s Far ‘s ah saw, y’all only got reason t’be ‘fraid for the poor guy tha’ finds yeh later, yeh ain’t exactly wearin’ much no more… or fer yer bank ‘count.  Don’t it cost yeh a fortune buyin’ yerself clothes?”  His voice held mirth, and it took Bruce a second to realize that the man opposite him was making a joke.  His smile broadened slightly, encouraging the man opposite him.  “Ah bet y’all are workin’ on a machine tha’ duplicates clothes or repairs ‘em.  Or makes ‘em grow ‘long with y’all.  Tha’ wouldn’t be no bad invention – mah buddy Keith’s clothes caught on fire once when he was barbecuin’ – man, y’all shoulda seen him run t’find s’me water to put ‘imself out with! – an’ he didn’t have no spare clothes with ‘im so he had t’go home stark dayum naked… man, he would’a loved ‘im some in-dee-structible clothes!  We laughed ‘bout tha’ fer, like, weeks, man!”

“Your friend didn’t mind you laughing about that?”, Bruce asked, still smiling lightly, and Ellis shook his head with a grin.

“Naw, Keith’s cool with us laughin’ ‘bout the shit tha’ happens t’him.  He’s a real nice guy – none too good-lookin’ what with all them scars an’ all – but he don’t got a lotta common sense in ‘im.  An’ he ain’t got no luck at all.  Mah ma said tha’ Keith’s a bit spe-shul but she di’n’t mean him bein’ simple or anythin’, jus’ tha’ he got a real absent-minded guardian angel for lettin’ things happen t’him, y’know?”  Ellis looked at him and the grin turned into a more encouraging smile.  “Y’know, yew an’ Keith both are like tha’, ah’m bettin’.  Nice guys, jus’ not tha’ lucky.  Ah’ll bet y’all di’n’t wan’ change into tha’ green guy none, huh?”, he asked, and Bruce nodded.

“…It happened by accident, really.”

“See?  Tha’’s jus’ like Keith!  He don’t _wanna_ get burnt or get bombed or attacked by a ragin’ she-bear… it jus’ happens t’him.  Yew’s jus’ gotta trust tha’ nothin’ bad’s gon’ happen.  Y’all don’t wanna hurt no one, right?”  Bruce nodded – it was what he feared most, him hurting someone while changed – and Ellis patted him on the shoulder.  The gesture was amical and soothing, and it made his smile turn into a grin.  “…Y’all prob’ly have the strength’a fifteen monster trucks, man, when y’all is that big feller, but when ah looked at’chu ‘fore, yer eyes showed me everythin’ ah ever needed t’know, y’know?  Yer body changes, an’ yer thoughts change an’ maybe even yer feelin’s… but yer eyes are th’same.  Yeh’re lookin’ at me jus’ wond’rin’ how ‘fraid ah must be now – jus’ like yeh were lookin’ at me ‘fore, when y’all were green an’ big an’ hulkin’ over me.  …If’n yeh can’’ trust y’self, then maybe y’kin trust me when ah say y’all ain’t got nothin’ t’worry ‘bout?  Awrigh’, misteh Banner?”  Childish optimism clashed with his own stubborn disbelief in those words, but he wished so desperately for those words to be true that he nodded.  Trusting this man in front of him, looking so much like Tony but being so much more kind, offering not his partner’s energetic and almost teasing provocations but something infinitely more soothing and calm… it was easy.  Like the man drew the best from him.

“…Come on, you can take a look around my lab while I get some proper clothes back on.”, he offered, and Ellis’ comforting smile turned into a giddy excited grin again.  “You never told me what you do for a living… or what brought you in here in the first place.  The building was supposed to be empty.”

“Oh, ah’m a mechanic, ah fix up cars f’r a livin’… an’ ah came here lookin’ for mah, uh, partner, Nick, he had this meetin’ here…”, Ellis started to explain, going off into a lengthy explanation about preparing the man in his life some ciabatta sandwiches – and every second of his talking brought a mental calmth to Bruce.  His smile lingered, something that didn’t often happen.

***

“’Ey Nick!!”  Hours later, Nick walked out of the elevator to see his lover sit next to an unfamiliar man in a purple shirt in the entrance hall to Stark Tower, munching on a sandwich that looked like it was _his_ favorite.

“Ellis?  What the hell…  Why are you here?”, he said, sounding more surprised than annoyed – and a bit guilty considering what he’d been doing most of the afternoon.

“Heh, ah brought y’all lunch but y’already had some, prob’ly.  Ah hope misteh Stark di’n’t chew yeh up too badly-“

“Wait, how…”, Nick started again, only for the man Ellis had been sitting next to to rise and speak up as well.

“I’m Bruce Banner.  Tony Stark is my partner, I’m privy to his work schedule.  You had a lengthy meeting with him, mister Montaggio, I hope you managed to lay out all of your ideas to him properly and thoroughly.”  Now Nick blanched – the man opposite him had every reason to be angry, because his tone clearly betrayed that he knew exactly what had happened – but the man smiled and shrugged.  “I hope you don’t mind that I laid claim on your partner while you were busy in that meeting.  Ellis clearly knows his basic sciences.”

“Awh, man, Bruce, please don’’ tell Nick things like tha’, yeh’re embarrassin’ me…”, the mechanic said with a slight blush. He then extended his hand to the other man. “Anyways, now tha’ Nick’s ‘ere, we’d best git goin’.  ‘t Sure was nice t’meet’chu, Bruce!   Maybe ah kin visit’chu ‘gain soon?  Nick prob’ly has t’come back here ‘gain soon, so…”

“Sure.  Just tell the receptionist you’re here to see me and she’ll tell me you’re here.  And if the building’s empty, just come right on down.”, he added with a grin, and Ellis rolled his eyes.

“Will do!”  The two shook hands and then Ellis walked off, dragging an absolutely stunned Nick with him.

“You… do you realize who that was?”, he asked his lover, and Ellis nodded.

“’Course ah do!  He’s Tony Stark’s lover – man, he don’t look it none, misteh Stark jus’ looks like a smug self-satisfied guy, kinda like yew do, Nick, but Bruce’s a downrigh’ sweet man!  …So, did’ya manage t’git’cher ideas ‘cross to misteh Stark?  Or d’yew spend all afternoon jus’ in ‘is bed?”

Nick hadn’t ever looked so stunned.

Meanwhile, Tony Stark turned around from the CCTV screen when he heard the elevator doors open and his lover enter again.

“…You shouldn’t use your privileges to snoop on people, Tony…”, came Bruce’s exasperated voice, causing the billionaire to shrug.

“Why would you have those privileges otherwise, if you can’t use them?  …I was just looking at that guy that came to pick mister Montaggio up.”

“Oh, Ellis.”  Tony had already turned around, pretending to be casual about the entire thing, but his lover’s words had him staring in disbelief.

“You know his name?  …How did this happen?”

“I met him downstairs.  Showed him my lab.  Had a good conversation with him.  He… well, talking to him did me a world of good, I have to say.  I haven’t ever felt so relaxed.”  Now Tony’s interest was definitely piqued.  Not only did the guy have a nicely toned body – having been with Nick had become that much more satisfying knowing what he went home to, he had to admit – but Bruce appeared to be smitten with him.  It stung ever so slightly, too, and he couldn’t keep that faintest little hint of jealousy out of his voice as he spoke up again.

“…What exactly did he do to get you so lyrical?”  Bruce grinned – he genuinely, deviously, teasingly _grinned_ for once – and made a slight gesture with his hand as if to dismiss the thought.

“That, Tony, is for me to know and for you to wonder about.”

Tony Stark resolved to install security cameras down in his lover’s lab as well.


End file.
